Behind the scenes: Dumbledore redemption
by thonez
Summary: This is story how close you can be to cannon and Dumbledore good character instead manipulative bastard like cannon suggests.
1. Preface

Main problem in Harry potter fanfiction is that Rowling sacrifices world for drama. When you first read books they are great. However when you try to write fanfiction you start to judge by his actions instead first impression. When Dumbledore faces decision between what is right and what is convient for plot he mostly chooses later.

When you take ideas what could Dumbledore do to logical conclusion he looks like worse death eater than Lucius Malfoy. Take DA for example. If Dumbledore created similar club when Voldemort started to rose he could be defeated. Instead Dumbledore produced sheeps that cannot cast a shield.

This story follows cannon with appropriate scenes replaced to show good Dumbledore who is blocked at every step.


	2. boy who lived

The witch, wizard and werewolf appeared into sleepy village Godric Hollow. It was nothing out of ordinary as it was Halloween after all so only suspicious thing about them was that witch had no warts.

"Quick, we could save them." witch said

But it was too late.

"Damn. Somebody must hit Sirius with imperius curse."

"Albus, look Harry is still alive."

After half hour and numerous waving of wand old wizard finally spoke.

"I still do not know what Lily did, I did not see equations in that ritual circle in my life. Only that there is unpenetrable field of her magic across his scar. This leaves me only choice."

"Albus you cannot be serious." witch said.

"It is for greater good, if we could replicate such protection we could win versus you-know-who."

Minerva replied "Too much secrecy. I am fine if you could not find that in Lily's journal."

After reading it they concluded that its some sort of blood ward. Lily taken such leaps in logic and frequently omitted conclusions that were obvious to her but nobody else.

So we do not have much choice to see what happened:

_Legilemens_

Albus looked away from Harry's green eyes and said:

"It is better than I expected, this ward could repel killing curse, you-know-who is gone. Perhaps permanently."

"We can't risk Harry. Remus! Come here!"

"As this ward is blood based from journal I found that its powered by mother's love. Find where Lily's sister Pelangolia lives and persuade her to adopt him. I will wait for you in three broomstick once you find her I could apparate with you there and cast fidelius. Could you stay there and train Harry to be fine wizard until he turn eleven?"

"Could we keep him in wizard world?" Remus hesistated.

"No, that snake Malfoy still slips from our gasp. When these news spread I am sure he would try to appoint himself as his guardian."

After three pops Albus and Minerva gone to ministry report news.

After three days they finally got necessary supplies which took so long mainly because most shops were closed for celebration. After a week Remus poped

"I finally find her. Its Petunia by the way."

"Thanks Remus, so where he is."

"No! I cannot remember anymore."

"Bloody wards. I did not expect they will do this."

Remus suggested: "We could print portraits and give them to muggle doctors. I am sure he will turn up soon. Children are often ill at this stage."

Three months later.

"Damn still no trace. I am afraid they moved to America or somewhere else.


	3. Busy summer

In summer before Harry Potter's first year many people focused on him

Minerva came to headmaster's office

"Albus, Harry is in Britain. His owl returned, but without reply."

"Nice. Probably muggles don't have owl so we send him new letter and said her to wait for reply."

Day later:

"Owl returned and tracking charm on her vanished."

"I will make it more foolproof. Lets make portkey that will take him back when he opens letter."

Day later:

"As he is not here that muggles probably stole it from him."

"Don't worry. Take broom and follow owl, then bring him to Hogwarts."

Day later.

"I lost her, she was too fast."

"Lets send more owls and Rolanda."

Day later.

"Also she lost owls when it got dark."

"I will call Charlie Weasley, he is best flier I seen and all owls. That pack will be hard to miss."

Day later.

"He said that muggles took letter and will surely give it to Harry."

"That's bad. Pity that all teachers must go to ethical teaching training. Only Hagrid can take him next week."

Week later Dumbledore pushed his occlumency shields to maximum.

"Relax, Hagrid is kind but must be told what to do. How can he think that bringing him to Hogwards means only for visit."

"Mum could I go to train to meet Harry Potter?"

"Yes Ginny, you could also give your brothers farewell kiss."

By midnight small figure sneaked in Burrow.

_Confondus_

"You need to go to platform 9 3/4 early and wait for Harry Potter."

After sneaking back to bedroom come second phase of plan.

_Imperio_

Befriend Harry Potter.

Some Hogwarts governors was also busy.

"So Lucius what are candidates for DADA?"

"Well I have same recommendation like in last five years John Avery."

"Could you push Snape into DADA post?"

"Not unless you want take responsibility about lessons how resist cruciatus curse."

"Dumbledore suggested Alastor Moody, who will we bribe this year?"

"I have better plan. Muggle studies professor Quirell returns this year. Completely incompetent wizard when we were at Hogwarts"

"Excellent, that kills two flies in one strike. After all he knows too much about muggles. And we don't have to pay single penny"

Finally Albus gave last order to his elves about Harry and worried if is he turning dark. After all he robbed ravenclaw for griffindor by sending her owl that she should write essay to history of magic class about book "Adventures of Godric the Great."


	4. Preparing for Tom

Albus was busy setting traps. It was his brilliant idea inside brilliant idea inside brilliant idea.

As prophecy told that only Harry could kill Voldemort he must obviously use other means. Basilisk would be ideal but he did not have hundred years until he could petrify Voldemort. He was afraid to use dementors as they followed him in last war and whether mixing his soul with dementor would produce demon. Last option would be dose him with draught of living dead until harry could kill him. As each trap needs bait he and Nicolas destilled draught into sleeping stone and pondered how to make protections weak enough so only Voldemort could reach them and delay him enough so he could reach him in time to keep him dosed. Hopefully Tom would not return in next five years.

That lead to heated debates beween him, Minerva and Alistor:

"Albus you cannot be serious. Weasley twins would take stone in month."

"No, 20 peg hanoi tower would make him angry and just cast bombarda."

Using age line to protect students was problem from opposite side. He expected that only Malfoy spawn would be stupid enough to host dark lord.

After hours of discussion they settled on scaring them with charmed cerberus that would only bark to students followed by some traps and as Weasley twins will figure cerberus too he decided to use mirror of erised and seramthgin and flip it based who comes there.

Finally he cast fidelius on Myrtle's bathroom as Tom would instantly go for stone while basilisk was roaming hallways which would take days to kill and give Lucius enough ammo to remove him as headmaster.

After sorting feast Albus with Minerva had their regular cup of cocoa.

Albus said: "Ah so its Quirell. That is unexpeted and will complicate our plans."

As his expression turned vacant she was quiet until he finished his though process."

"Tom must created multiple horcruxes."

"How can you be sure?"

"Elementary. While creating one horcrux halves intelligence Tom would be smart enough to contact death eaters than snake managed to save. As not doing so is pretty dumb I guess he made minimally three."

"So what would we do?"

"Well almost everywhere else he would do more harm. If he trusted somebody smart it would be bad. Snake would sniff if we dosed him and somebody would see us. And if he rescued him it would be catastrophe. So we must keep him close until we have foolproof plan."

"And how you keep him from stumbling to his minions by accident?"

"Simple. I will tell him that Lucius does not tolerate muggle lovers like him, actually controls ministry and is quite happy to be boss."

Then he tried to gulp a potion but was forced to take a spoon as it turned into grease.


	5. A diary

After sorting feast Harry came into dormitory and started unpacking. He found diary that wasn't his so he started reading it.

**Marauder's handbook**

Hello fellow marauder, we compiled list of things to make your school easier. You could unlock more chapters of this book by finding passwords. We left plenty of hints at school. Here are initial tips.

1) Teachers can read your mind. Borrow book 'Hidden Occlumency, Art and Practice' from library as soon as possible. This book will teach you to create persona and spies will get false memories. Do not learn from other books until you need it for your job. Occlumency shield would be red flag that you are hiding something and you would be as good as caugth

2) There are lot of purebloods that try to prove they are superior. Rest of world laughts at Europe as they are not. Using Miliventor test average mugleborn at Hogward has three times raw power than average pureblood. Reason is that only top 1% of muggleborns creates accidental magic that we could detect. There are experiments at Japan to detect more wizards. That does not stop pureblood which try to keep their power base so beware as pureblood children replace lack of raw power by training since they were little.

3) We included book switcher. It swaps content of two books for your eyes only. Use it to actually learn something in otherwise useless lectures.

4) Here are comments about classes in our time.

Charms, Transfiguration - A must.

Potions - This is most conflicting class. If you are common law abiding citizen its worthless. With owl order you typically get potion faster than you could mix it around 20% more expensive than cost of ingredients.

Sadly as there is shortage of potion experts ministry decided to terrorize you since first year.

There are important jobs that need potion expertise: brewers, healers and researchers. Sadly purebloods to show their superiority require it for jobs that have little common with potions like aurors. Most purebloods teach their children since they are 8 years old. Don't be surprised they do better than you and prepare accordingly. Also pair with somebody that did until you catch up.

Second problem is that potions mix roles of brewer and researcher which are only distantly related.

Anybody could be brewer, its just exercise in patience, checking recipe five times and marking each step you done. After all if you have some Crabbe in Hogwards you will see what I mean.

Researcher is where fun begins so try some pranks with potions. If you still don't like it find somebody who does. After all we needed only one potion researcher in our group.

Also potions are deadly useful when you do something not exactly legal.

Practical potioneer is best book to start.

DADA - likely useless. Ministry decided that aurors are sufficient to keep order and let bureaucrats write textbooks. You will likely learn how to defend versus beasts you will never meet and most of time its better to a) run away or b) cast reducto. Except for passing exams all you need to know is read about class 4,5 and 6 magical creatures. Also unnamed minister had idea that if you do not teach children how to duel there will be no bullies as they are unable to duel. Best way of learning is picking some partner for mock duels, its lot of fun. Also look for older Daily prophet articles 'Death eaters and you' by Alastor Moody.

Herbology - Pick pretty chick class. Its obsolete since 18 century. When every wizard and witch had garden for their potion ingredients it was useful. Now only if you want to be farmer so pick pretty girl and talk with her. Read Dangerous plants and their habitats for useful tidbits.

Harry blushed when he was reading this.

Astronomy - about as useful as herbology. Prerequisite for divination which is optional.

History of magic - This means Binns. When we tried to find how to fire him we found portrait of Helaz Rosier that explained that in 16 century best way to terminate teaching contract is poison. Apparently it did not work in his case.

Use book switcher in class and ask older ravenclaws about notes from 1723.

We learned from friend that thinks that history is fascinating to go to roots, for example you could start with headmaster dairies since seventeen century.

5) Is magitag still best game at Hogwards? If you do not know about it rules are simple: Its like tag except you cast spell aurerore. when it hits somebody he starts glowing red and it wont stop until he hits somebody else.

Next morning he decided to give handbook a try and in History of Magic read Lord of the rings that he borrowed from Dean Thomas.


End file.
